source: x kannur l tuesday l march 19, 2024 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l city EDITION Tensions high as Pak airstrikes in Afghan territory kill eight The Pakistan Army said eight terrorists were killed in ‘anti-terror operations’ in the border regions inside Afghanistan on Monday a response to attack on army outpost: Pak The airstrikes come amid heightened tensions between the two neighbours over a series of terrorist attacks in Pakistan’s Balochistan province, which Islamabad has blamed on groups based in Afghanistan. Pakistan said Monday’s airstrikes, which were in response to a recent attack on one of its army outposts, targeted a group allied with Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan ■ 6,000 strike killed civilians, says Taliban ■ Afghan Taliban said Pakistan targeted civilian homes and claimed five women and three children were killed in the pre-dawn strike Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan rose after the Taliban took power in Kabul in 2021. Pakistan said it had repeatedly urged the group to act against terror outfits operating in Afghanistan Pak Taliban fighters in Afghanistan, says Pakistan official CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI SC directs SBI to NDA seals deal: BJP to contest 17 seats in Bihar share all data on electoral bonds PMK joins BJP team, shuns AIADMK’s call Details including bond numbers that can link donors to political parties must be disclosed and redeemed after April 12, @ New Delhi 2019. The top court on Monday rejected a plea urging it to orThe Supreme Court on Monday der SBI to disclose details redirected the State Bank of India lated to electoral bonds pur(SBI) to disclose all details re- chased and redeemed prior to lated to the electoral bonds in its this date. In a landmark verdict possession by March 21, includ- on February 15, the Supreme ing the unique alphanumeric Court struck down the Centre’s numbers that can map donors to electoral bonds scheme intropolitical parties. duced in 2018 that allowed Rapping the public-sector anonymous political funding. lender over selective discloThe court had asked the SBI sure, the Supreme Court said it to stop issuing electoral bonds had in its February 15 with immediate effect verdict sought a comand submit all the dePlea against plete disclosure of all tails to the EC by disclosure data related to elecMarch 6. “Lack of The Supreme Court toral bonds in the on Monday refused privacy of political bank’s possession. to entertain pleas by affiliation would be “We had asked all catastrophic. It can Associated details to be disclosed be used to disenfranChambers of Commerce & by the SBI which inchise voters. Right to cludes electoral bond Industry of India and informational privaConfederation of numbers as well. Let cy extends to finanIndian Industry SBI not be selective in cial contributions to seeking to delay the disclosure,” the fivepolitical parties,” the disclosure of judge Constitution court had said. electoral bonds Bench, of the SuThe Election Comnumbers preme Court headed mission on March 14 by Chief Justice D Y released data shared Chandrachud said. The bank’s by the SBI. However, did not chairperson has been directed contain electoral bond numto file an affidavit by 5 pm on bers. Last week, the top court March 21 stating that all details issued a notice to the country’s have been disclosed to the Elec- largest bank to explain the reation Commission (EC). The sons for the non-disclosure of court also directed the Chief unique alphanumeric numbers Election Commissioner to file a in compliance with its direcdetailed compliance affidavit tions. The electoral bond by March 21 to ensure no fur- scheme was challenged by the ther complications arise over Association for Democratic Rethe matters. forms, the CPI (M) and ConThe details sought are relat- gress leaders Jaya Thakur and ed to electoral bonds purchased Spandan Biswal. S u c h i tra K a lyan M o hant y Chennai: Ending days of speculation about whether the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) will join hands with the AIADMK or BJP, the party on Monday announced that it has decided to go with the saffron party in the upcoming Lok Sabha election. The party would firm up ties with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance and a formal announcement on the number of Lok Sabha constituencies and the candidates to be fielded would be made by PMK founder Dr S Ramadoss soon, party general secretary Vadivel Ravanan said. Tamilisai quits governor, L-G posts Chennai: Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan, Telangana Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry, has decided to step down from both the posts and has submitted her resignation to President Droupadi Murmu. She has expressed her interest to reenter active politics and “directly work for the people”. Speaking to reporters in Chennai on Monday, she refused to confirm if she was planning to contest in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. RAJESH KUMAR THAKUR @ New Delhi Who got what 1 The BJP on Monday ironed out its seat-sharing deal with National Democratic Alliance partners in Bihar, pocketing 17 of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in the state. It emerged as the undisputed big brother in the alliance, as the JD(U) will contest from 16, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) 5 and the Hindustan Awam Morcha (HAM) and Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) one each. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP, JD(U) and the undivided LJP were part of the NDA, which won 39 of the 40 seats. Both the BJP and JD(U) had contested from 17 seats BJP JD(U) LJP (RV) HAM RLM 2 4 3 17 18 16 19 20 32 33 34 35 37 5 31 36 38 15 21 7 6 23 22 30 29 24 13 12 each at that point in time. The big headline maker this time was Chirag Paswan, son of LJP founder Ram Vilas Paswan. His faction, LJP (RV), got 10 11 26 40 39 27 JD(U) Valmikinagar (1), Sitamarhi (5), Jhanjharpur (7), Supaul (8), Kishanganj (10), Katihar (11), Purnia (12), Madhepura (13), Gopalganj (17), Siwan (18), Bhagalpur (26), Banka (27), Munger (28), Nalanda (29), Jehanabad (36) and Sheohar (4) five constituencies, including the prestigious Hajipur, the seat held by his late dad. Chirag later said he will vacate his Jamui seat and contest from LJP (Ram Vilas) Vaishali (16), Hajipur (21), Samastipur (23), Khagaria (25) and Jamui (40) HAM Gaya (38) RLM Karakat (35) Hajipur. Chirag’s gain was Union minister Pashupati Kumar Paras’s loss. Paras, the brother of Ram Vilas, is the sitting MP from Hajipur. Candidates’ ‘celebrity endorsement’ bid misfires E x p ress N e w s S er v i c e @Kochi/ Thrissur It’s election season, and celebrity endorsements are the norm rather than the exception. However, their attempts of such an endorsement and celebrity ‘photo opportunity’ have backfired on the Left and NDA candidates in the Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency, much to their embarrassment. CPI candidate V S Sunil Kumar and BJP’s Suresh Gopi were at the receiving end of Tovino Thomas V S Sunil Kumar their own over-enthusiasm, following a snub by the celebrities. Sunil Kumar was forced to delete a photograph of him with Tovino Thomas, which he posted on his Facebook and In- Kalamandalam Gopi Suresh Gopi stagram pages, after the actor cautioned candidates against the use of his image as he is the ambassador of the Election Commission of India (ECI) in Kerala. Meanwhile, a promi- nent doctor who tried to arrange a meeting of Suresh Gopi with Kalamandalam Gopi was rebuffed by the Kathakali maestro himself. The post by Sunil Kumar showed Tovino and him standing close to each other with the caption extolling them as the ‘shining stars of Thrissur’, along with CPI’s symbol and the request urging voters to help the candidate win. Tovino took to social media to issue a statement after Sunil Kumar ● More on P4 posted the photo. HC allows mom to buy drug for SMA-affected child without paying tax E x p ress N e w s S er v i c e @Kochi Kerala, K’taka and TN to hold wild animal census quick nap A fish vendor takes a nap by her roadside shop near Nalanchira in Thiruvananthapuram in the sweltering heat | Vincent Pulickal Perambra murder accused has chilling criminal history around exploiting the vulnerability of unsuspecting women. His modus operandi: Kondotty Mujeeb aka Mujeeb Rahman, Offer lifts to people on his motorbike or who was arrested for the murder of Anu other stolen vehicles, including autorickPrajil of Valoor near Perambra recently is shaw, only to swiftly transform into a pred, a notorious criminal with 56 cases ator, snatching the victims’ valuaregistered against him in various bles before disappearing into the police stations across the Malabar abyss of anonymity . region. Mujeeb allegedly drowned Born in Kondotty Rahman’s ear, Anu in a stream and stole her orly life remains veiled in mystery, naments on March 11, after offerwith scant details emerging about ing her a lift on a stolen his upbringing. Yet, what unfolds motorbike. is a narrative of deviance and deBooked for the first time at the ceit that has left a trail of trauma age of 20 for the murder of a Tirur in many lives. As many as 13 cases 56 cases jewellery shop owner, the 48-yearhave been registered against Muold has been involved in various As many as 56 jeeb in Kondotty. For local resicases have crimes including sexual assault, dents, Mujeeb has always been a been robbery and plunder, and the list , fierce person and has maintained registered goes on. Though booked, Mujeeb little relations with the people of had walked out of jail in most of against Mujeeb his native place. in various the cases after securing bail. What According to the 2020 Mutheri is baffling is how a person with police stations rape case survivor, a hotel worker, across five such a chilling criminal history she faced brutal sexual assault at districts in could be let roaming free. the hands of Mujeeb, who gave her North Kerala An elderly woman, who was sexa lift in a stolen autorickshaw in ually assaulted by Mujeeb at July He reportedly tied her up and . Mutheri near Mukkom in 2020, raped her, before stealing her montold TNIE that he should be hanged for all ey Mujeeb, who was arrested that day es. , the crimes he committed. “Had he been caped after tricking the police but was punished earlier, Anu of Perambra would caught from Koothuparamba in Kannur not have been killed,” she said. district. “In that case, the accused was reOperating with a calculated precision, manded for one and a half years,” said ● More on P4 Mujeeb’s criminal activities revolved Perambra DySP K M Biju. P o o ja N a i r @Kozhikode 25 9 28 e x p r e ss r e a d Kochi: Spurred by the spike in human-wildlife conflicts in Kerala, the state forest and wildlife department, along with the Tamil Nadu and Karnataka governments, will undertake a simultaneous survey of wild animals to find out the increase in their numbers. 8 14 BJP Paschim Champaran (2), Purvi Champaran (3), Aurangabad (37), Madhubani (6), Araria (9), Darbhanga (14), Muzaffarpur (15), Maharajganj (19), Saran (20), Ujiyarpur (22), Begusarai (24), Nawada (39), Patna Sahib (30), Patliputra (31), Arrah (32), Buxar (33) and Sasaram (34) Maintain separate records for pet and stray dog bites: Centre S ha i nu M o han @T’Puram Amid a rise in dog bites across the country, the Union government has directed the states to maintain separate records for pet dog bites and stray dog bites. The move is aimed at strengthening the rabies surveillance system and to achieve the goal of making India a rabies-free country by 2030, according to the order issued on March 7 by the Directorate General of Health Services under the ministry of health and family welfare. The Centre has asked the state health authorities to provide quality data on the number of animal bites from all primary health centres, community health centres, and districtlevel hospitals and tertiary care facilities with specific details on bites by pet dogs and stray dogs. Separate records have to be maintained for new and follow-up patients in the animal bite exposure register. Welcoming the decision, Minister for Animal Husbandry J Chinchu Rani said that keeping distinctive data on pet dog bites and stray dog ● More on P4 bites is a good thing. In a display of judicial compassion and intervention, the Kerala High Court has stepped in to address the plight of a mother grappling with the dire medical needs of her threeyear-old child affected by the life-threatening rare disease Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). The court recently issued an order permitting her to purchase the drug Risdiplam, sold under the brand name Evrysdi, from the dealer without paying IGST. The court issued the order on the petition filed by the mother seeking a directive to the Union government not to collect IGST from the distributor for the purchase of the drug which is imported from F-Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Switzerland. The petitioner is sourcing the medicine from a distributor in Ernakulam. She submitted that a circular issued by the Centre said that the import of medicines for treating individuals suffering from life-threatening diseases can be considered for exemption on a case-to-case basis. The present price of Risdiplam is `6.07 lakh per bottle, including 12% GST. The court pointed out that it was clear from the terms of the circular, minutes of the GST council, and the provisions of Article 279A(4) of the Constitution that the Union finance minister is competent to consider the grant of exemption from IGST for the import of medicines for individuals who are suffering from lifethreatening diseases. The case of the petitioner appears to be eminently qualified for the grant of such exemption. Advocate T Sanjay, counsel for the petitioner, said that the child needs several bottles of Risdiplam and the price of the same is unbearable to an ordinary citizen. According to petitoner, she is incurring huge medical expenditures for his treatment by way of hospital and medical equipment expenses. Such huge expenses are beyond the means of the petitioner, who is jobless and survives on the remittances of her husband, who is working in Dubai. The total amount incurred by her for the purchase during the period from March 16, 2022, to February 10, 2023, alone comes to `24,26,668. Ad hoc panel dissolved, WFI requests nat’l camp F i r o z M i r z a @ Chennai The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on Monday dissolved the adhoc committee formed on December 27, 2023 to manage the day-today affairs of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). The decision paved the way for the federation led by Sanjay Kumar Singh, considered a close associate of former WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, to take administrative control of the sport. “The decision to dissolve the Ad-hoc Committee comes in light of the lifting of the ban on the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) by the United World Wrestling (UWW) and the successful completion of Selection Trials by the Adhoc Committee appointed by the IOA as per the directives of the Hon’ble High Court of Delhi,” said the IOA order. Interestingly, the sports ministry — which on December 24, 2023 directed the IOA to form the adhoc committee three days after the Sanjay Singh-led panel won 13 out of 15 posts in the election — has not issued any order this time. The IOA also instructed WFI to appoint a “Safeguarding Committee” to address concerns of sexual harassment apart from conducting elections of the Athletes’ Commission. Soon after the order, Sanjay Singh wrote to the Sports Authority of India (SAI) request- ing it to facilitate the hosting of national camps for the Asian Championships and Asian Olympic Games Qualifier scheduled next month. “The top-four (gold, silver and two bronze medallists) of the trials are eligible for the camp,” Sanjay Singh told this daily. This means Vinesh, who participated in two weight categories — 50kg and 53kg winning the first and finishing with bronze in the second — will be named as a camper.
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